


Passage to Resolution

by Chameleon777



Series: Star Trek 2009 Alternate Series [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:41:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26481334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameleon777/pseuds/Chameleon777
Summary: Sequel to 'Consequence Apparent.' The year is 2270 and both Spock and Zachary have been missing for three years without a trace, but life must go on even when the effects of tragedy linger. As life continues on, the sudden arrival of a mysterious stranger may provide answers to problems left unresolved.
Series: Star Trek 2009 Alternate Series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/429553





	1. Resurrection and Reconstruction

_2267_

_U.S.S. Sea of Tranquility_

_After what seemed like an eternity of being hunted by Klingons merely for being a Starfleet vessel after the Klingons had become aware of the fact that Starfleet had launched a search for Carol Marcus, the aged starship was being pursued at close range and the fight looked as though it would be lost._

_Loud alarms blared and red lights flashed as Captain Harriman ran through the heavily damaged ship, pointedly ignoring his burned uniform. His heart pounded in his ears as he came to a stop in front of the Sickbay and found nothing but fires, debris, shattered glass, and bodies in the path before him._

" _Lara, Johnny?!" Captain Harriman shouted anxiously as he forced the damaged doors open and cautiously made his way into the ruins of Sickbay. "LARA! JOHNNY! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

_For a moment, silence was the only reply and then Captain Harriman heard faint coughing coming from the far end of Sickbay, near the area where the Chief Medical Officer would keep first aid dummies for medical staff or their growing son to practice first aid on. Swallowing hard, he made his way through the debris to the back and was horrified to see a pile of debris covering what looked like two bodies._

_Silently praying that he wasn't the only member of his family left, Captain Harriman anxiously dug through the debris and was horrified to see his son, Johnny, holding tightly to the lifeless body of his beloved wife while alternating between tears and coughing, "Johnny," he breathed anxiously._

_Johnny looked up, revealing a bad gash on his forehead and burns on his face, "Dad?" he asked softly._

" _Come on, we're under attack!" Captain Harriman said anxiously as he reached a hand out to his son._

_Johnny coughed and shook his head, "M-my leg hurts, Dad," he replied in a semi-hysterical voice._

_Captain Harriman nodded and anxiously cleared the debris away just enough so he could pull Johnny gently into his arms, "W-what about M-mom?" Johnny asked anxiously as he was hauled off the floor._

" _I've got to get you out of here while I can, kiddo," Captain Harriman said in an anxious voice as he carried Johnny around the debris and out of the Sickbay. "You're shivering; just huddle against me."_

_Johnny whimpered, but did as he was told as his father carried him down the corridor to their quarters, which had also been severely damaged by weapons fire. Captain Harriman kept his son in his arms as he gathered a blanket, an emergency pack that had rations, first aid supplies, and a weapon, and a stylus that contained every single personal and legal document that had ever belonged to the Harrimans._

_After taking a final look around the quarters he never expected to see again, Captain Harriman carried his injured son and the supplies from the room, not stopping until they were at a room filled with escape pods, "We're about ten days from Earth, but I think you'll be okay if you just use the supplies," he said in an anxious voice as he opened a pod and carried his son inside. "I know you hurt, but just stay calm."_

" _What about you, Dad?" Johnny asked anxiously as he was sat down and covered with the blanket._

_Captain Harriman set the pack and stylus next to Johnny, "Son, we're being attacked by Klingons and I don't know why, but I've got to stay and take care of the ship and everyone else," he replied in an anxious voice as Johnny began to cough. "Save your voice and I want you to wear this for a while."_

_Johnny trembled anxiously, but didn't argue as his father grabbed a breathing apparatus off the wall of the pod and placed it over his pale, burned face before securing him in the seat with the buckling of a safety belt that was neither too tight nor too loose, "I love you my boy, and I hope we'll see each other again," Captain Harriman said in an anxious voice as he kissed Johnny's forehead. "Live a full life."_

_Tears streamed down Johnny's face as Captain Harriman climbed out of the pod, closed it, and launched it from the heavily damaged ship without a second thought, "Captain Harriman to Bridge, status of the pursuing vessel?" he asked in an anxious voice as he pulled his communicator out and opened it._

_There was silence and then the ship rocked violently, "Captain, we're caught in a tractor beam!" an anxious voice yelled as explosions could be heard in the background. "The Klingons have got us!"_

_Swearing under his breath, Captain Harriman only took a second to shed a few tears for the loss of his wife and the escape of his son before he ran out of the room, determined to face death on the Bridge._

A rush of cold wind shot through the cell and Captain Harriman's eyes slowly opened, once again reminding him that the Klingon-Romulan Alliance had caught them nearly three years ago and had sent most the crew to Rura Penthe to die. About half the crew had died during and after the attack.

His eyes immediately went to Johnny, who laid next to him in prisoner clothes and his ragged Starfleet clothes. Johnny was only just a teenager and it was time for him to be free of this death sentence.

"Johnny, wake up, son," Captain Harriman whispered softly, being careful as he touched his son's head.

2270 didn't seem any different than any other year, Captain Harriman thought as he watched Johnny struggle to wake up, but they hadn't seen the light of day in such a long time, so they weren't sure.

Johnny stirred enough to open his eyes, but did not move from where he lay, "Just stay quiet," Captain Harriman said in an anxious voice as he slowly picked Johnny up and carried him from the desolate bunker where all prisoners slept into the common area. "Just don't attract attention to yourself."

Loud noise echoed through the entire common area and Captain Harriman froze at the sight of Spock and an aggressive looking alien prisoner facing off while Zachary laid in the corner with a pained expression on his face. Carol sat nearby, not allowed to do more than record Zachary's development.

The fight was short and Spock, as happened more often than not, came out of it badly bruised and bleeding, but victorious because he had resorted to Tal-shaya to survive rather than risk being killed and permanently separated from his family, "Commander Spock, are you all right?" Captain Harriman asked in a concerned voice as the battered Vulcan reshrouded himself in the cloak that kept him warm, a cloak that he usually discarded only to defend himself. "It seems you have a new fight every day, doesn't it?"

"I am a Starfleet officer and a Vulcan," Spock replied tonelessly. "It is logical that aliens who have been here for a copious amount of time would want to test my strength in comparison to their own."

Captain Harriman nodded and sighed heavily, "I want to use that broken transporter that the guards have been using to beam dead prisoners out into the cold, but I want to send Johnny to Earth or to a Starfleet vessel," he said in a whispered voice. "I've been thinking about what you said and this…"

"I know of one way, but it will require effort," Spock replied tonelessly. "Please trust me."

Captain Harriman nodded and Spock delivered a swift nerve pinch to Johnny's shoulder, causing the battered boy to pass out, "Klingon guard, this boy is dead!" Spock announced in a gruff voice.

Within seconds, a Klingon guard came over to them, "I request the right to beam the boy into space as I am his father and I require Commander Spock's assistance since my dominant hand is broken," Captain Harriman spoke in as shaky a voice as he could manage. "It is a right granted to prisoners."

The guard studied Johnny briefly and nodded, "Be quick about it, Harriman!" he shouted in an angry voice, barely acknowledging Spock. "Work detail starts in less than an hour and you need to be there!"

Both Captain Harriman and Spock were silent as they walked through the common area to the battered transporter that was left unguarded and used to beam dead prisoners to the surface or into space to rot into nothingness, "Lay him on the pad," Spock instructed as he accessed the console and discreetly altered the destination to Earth and inputted Scotty's transwarp beaming equation from memory.

Taking great care not to further injure his already broken hand, Captain Harriman shakily set Johnny on the pad and stepped away, "Goodbye, my Johnny," Captain Harriman said in a sad voice. "I love you."

Spock shuddered and slouched slightly as he energized the transporter and Johnny disappeared into parts unknown, "Commander Spock, are you well?" Captain Harriman asked in a concerned voice as they turned and began the slow walk towards the work duty area with their shackles dragging behind.

"I am as well as one can be under such circumstances," Spock replied tonelessly, wincing with every step he took that was hampered by the shackles around his feet. "However, I am able to function."

It wasn't long before Spock noticed that Zachary had gotten up off the floor and was now fixing some broken equipment, as the guards had deemed him too young and weak for mining detail nearly a month ago after he was involved in an accident that had resulted in broken bones that had been roughly set.

Of course, Spock silently observed as he watched Zachary work while Carol silently observed and took notes on the boy while ignoring the leering looks she was getting from the guards, broken bones and beatings were nothing new and both he and Zachary had received many over the past three years.

"Commander Spock, we must hurry," Spock heard Captain Harriman say softly. "Work duty waits for no one."

Swallowing hard, Spock nodded and turned away, continuing towards the mines in silence.

* * *

_**Golden Gate Apartments - San Francisco, California** _

The light of dawn shone through the apartment, but Jim was already wide awake and silently going through notes for the simulation he had scheduled for later that day after his daily family walk across campus, the ceremony, and the small afterparty. As Jim sat at the table in the apartment, he heard soft footsteps and smiled, immediately recognizing them as George's because Lorian didn't wake up early.

Jim shifted position on the couch and smiled as he saw George come into the living room in a shirt and pajama shorts with his prosthetic leg on, "I put it on myself this morning," George stated softly.

"That's good," Jim replied gently, yawning as he smiled. "Do you want breakfast before our walk?"

George shrugged and sat on the window seat, his gaze directed at the sunrise outside and choosing to leave his youngest to meditation, Jim silently moved into Lorian's bedroom. Lorian was in bed, sound asleep with a PADD on the bed that Jim assumed was his speech for his upcoming college graduation.

"Lorian, it is time to get up," Jim replied gently. "There's quite a bit that needs to be done today."

Lorian opened his eyes and sat up, "Are we walking to the ceremony, Father?" he asked softly.

"Yes, Lorian, we are," Jim replied pleasantly. "It'll give us all a chance to get a little exercise."

Lorian nodded, "I will prepare for the day," he replied tonelessly. "Good luck today, Father."

"Thank you, my son," Jim replied calmly as he exited the room to give Lorian some privacy.

* * *

**_Academy Auditorium_ **

Willard Decker grinned as he sat down in the row where Giotto and Hikaru were sitting together with other officers since all the cadets were in the back rows while officers sat closer to the floor, "Today's the day that the new Captain of the Enterprise is announced," he said in a smug voice. "Everyone who was interested took that class and several exams and I heard Starfleet finally made their decision."

"What makes you think you'll be chosen?" Hikaru asked in a skeptical voice. "A lot of people applied."

Willard scoffed and grinned as both the Academy board and members of Starfleet Command came into the auditorium and took their seats at the front table while President Pike took his place at the podium prompting the room to fall silent, "Good morning, members of Starfleet," President Pike spoke in a grand voice. "With great pride, we call Captain James Tiberius up that we may honor him."

Everyone in the seats smiled and offered quiet applause as Jim came out of the seats wearing his dress uniform and a smile on his face, "Captain Kirk, we hereby promote you to Admiral and bestow upon you the position of Chief of Starfleet Operations along with your Kobyashi Maru duties," President Pike said, smiling as he pinned another pip to Jim's collar. "May you find joy in the positon and its duties."

"Thank you, President Pike," Jim replied, bowing slightly before he returned to his seat.

President Pike smiled, "With Admiral Kirk agreeing to head up Starfleet Operations, Starfleet Command initiated a search for a new Captain for the U.S.S. Enterprise which included a battery of tests and interviews for the perfect candidate," he explained in an official voice. "After an exhaustive search, Starfleet and Academy Command have decided to promote Commander Arianne McCoy to Captain and bestow upon her the Captaincy of the newly refitted U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 as of this moment."

Applause filled the room, but Willard's jaw dropped in shock as Arianne silently walked up to the podium, "Captain McCoy, the Enterprise is now yours to do with what you will," President Pike said in a grand voice as he pinned another pip on Arianne's collar. "Congratulations on your new acquisition."

"Thank you," Arianne replied in a respectful voice, returning to her seat amidst loud applause.

The ceremony was dismissed shortly thereafter and Arianne quickly found herself being hugged by both Jim and Leonard, "I couldn't have recommended anyone better," Jim commented pleasantly.

"Well, a mission to deliver Ambassador Sarek to New Vulcan so he can provide the High Command with an update about his activities on Earth is a good way to get my feet wet in the Captain's chair," Arianne replied in a gentle voice. "Len, Jim, I am so grateful that neither of you are angry about this."

Jim looked amused, "Angry?" he replied in an amused voice. "I'm glad the ship will be well cared for."

"And you won't be alone since I'll be your Chief Medical Officer, darlin'," Leonard replied, a smile on his face as extracted a PADD from his pocket and held it up. "I just got my orders earlier this morning."

Arianne smiled and Jim sighed, "Well, I hate to hug and run, but I've got to run by Starfleet Operations to visit with Scotty and Pavel," he said in a cheerful voice. "They had to keep an eye on things."

As Jim walked off to fetch Lorian and George, Arianne noticed Willard push through the crowd and come over to her and Leonard, "I thought I'd congratulate you on your new position," he said in a dark voice, giving Arianne a stern look. "I guess being the daughter of the Starfleet President has advantages."

"Will, I took the same class you did," Arianne replied in a concerned voice, sighing as Williard walked off.

Leonard scoffed and shook his head, "Listen, I've got to get over to Starfleet Medical, but I love you and I'll see you at the Enterprise re-christening ceremony tonight," he replied softly. "You okay for a while?"

"There's no school today, so I was thinking of taking Jo, Charlie, and Kathy down to the aquarium for a while and then for a walk in the park," Arianne replied softly. "Everything on the Enterprise is ready."

Leonard delivered a gentle peck to Arianne's cheek before rushing off, leaving her alone to greet and thank the crowd coming to congratulate her and to also find Joanna, Charlie, and Kathy in the crowd.

* * *

_**Starfleet Operations – Transporter Room** _

Keenser grunted and Scotty sighed as he studied the cards that he was holding, "Yer not gonna win, ye know," Scotty said in an amused voice, giving Keenser a grin as he shuffled his hand. "Go Fish."

Pavel, who was sitting on a bench near the Transporter studying, chuckled as Keenser muttered a swear word in his language and reached for another card, "I vonder how ze ceremony vent?" he asked softly.

"I cannae expect that it was easy for Captain Kirk to give up the Enterprise and become an Admiral even if it was tae be there for his boys," Scotty commented, scowling as Keener asked for a card that he had.

Pavel shrugged, "Ze keptin ees wery careful to make decisions zat vill be for ze best for heem and hees family," he replied calmly, making a note on his PADD. "I asked to be ze Chief of Security zere."

"I'm sure Joanna will be proud," Scotty replied, scowling as he handed a few cards over to Keenser.

Pavel smiled and as he continued to study his PADD, the transporter console suddenly beeped and alarms sounded, "Transwarp transport in progress," an automated voice suddenly reported.

"What?!" Scotty shouted as he anxiously got to his feet, dropping his cards all over the floor as he raced over to the console and saw that it was active. "How canna transwarp transport be in progress here?!"

Pavel's eyes were wide, pocketing the PADD as he stood up, "Initiate ze transport and I vill Stun eet eef eet prowes to be dangerous," he replied, quickly pulling his phaser off his belt and setting it to Stun.

Scotty's hands trembled anxiously as he quickly energized the incoming transport and swore out loud, nearly vomiting as a pale, unconscious form clad in rags and chains appeared on the transporter pad.

Swallowing hard, Pavel pocketed his phaser and cautiously crept on to the pad and knelt down next to the unconscious form, "He eez alive!" Pavel exclaimed as he saw the figure breathing very slowly.

As Scotty got on the emergency channel to call for Medical, the doors slid open and Jim came in after promising to meet Sam, Aurelan, Peter, Lorian, and George at the fountains after he briefed Scotty and Pavel on the ceremony. Jim froze, however, at the sight of Pavel standing over a body on the pad.

"Keptin, this boy is alive," Pavel spoke in an anxious voice. "He badly needs ze hospeetal now, zo."

Jim frowned and he quickly went for his communicator, ready to perform his first act as an Admiral.

* * *

_**Downtown San Francisco** _

What seemed like hours later, Jim found himself at a café in downtown San Francisco, having a later breakfast with Sam, Aurelan, Peter, Lorian, and George for company, "It's strange not being in command of the new Enterprise, but I'm glad someone I can trust is in charge of her," Jim commented, sighing as he watched Lorian, George, and Peter ate from plates of oatmeal, toast, and eggs. "But I am content."

Before Sam could reply to Jim's comments, Jim's communicator went off and he quickly answered it, "Admiral Kirk, President Pike here," President Pike's voice spoke out. "I know that I said Security and Medical were handling the John Doe situation, but you're really needed at Starfleet Medical."

"I'll be there right away, President Pike," Jim replied anxiously. "Admiral Kirk out."

Giving an apologetic look to Sam, Aurelan, and Peter, Jim stood up, "I apologize, but President Pike needs me at Medical," he said in an anxious voice. "Lorian, George, we need to hurry back there."

"Jim, why don't I take Lorian and George out to the park with Sam, Peter, and I?" Aurelan offered in a gentle voice as she frowned at her brother-in-law. "It's a beautiful day and you have lots to do."

Jim nodded, "Lorian, George, I promise we'll do something together later, okay?" he asked softly.

"Father, may I go to the Academy library?" Lorian asked tonelessly. "I want to read something."

George looked eager, "Can I go with Lorian, Daddy?" he asked eagerly. "I love books a lot."

"Tell you what, we'll all go to the library," Sam commented as Jim silently hurried from the diner.

* * *

" _Are you sure this plan will work?...Goodbye my Johnny. I love you."_

Broken voices slowly replaced the sound of his father's voice and Johnny froze at feeling someone touching him, "Doctor McCoy, I think he moved," he heard a concerned voice say anxiously.

Another hand touched him and Johnny's eyes flew open, shocked when he found himself unable to scream because there was a tube in his throat. The sight of masked men and women in blue confused him, but all he could do was try and move his hands to try and keep the strangers away from him.

"Hey, hey, it's all right," Johnny suddenly heard a dark-haired man say in a concerned voice as he noticed a tube on his hand and tried to shake it off without success. "Can we get more anesthesia?"

 _Anesthesia._ The word echoed through Johnny's mind and he wondered if he had been dragged out of the mines by the guards instead of being rescued like Commander Spock had promised and was now undergoing experimental surgery as punishment. Panic rose through Johnny and he tried frantically to move, but he found his legs were held in place and tubes and wires were connected to his arms.

Alarms blared and Johnny moved his head frantically to try and dislodge the tube by vomiting it out, "Get that anesthesia now!" the dark haired man yelled. "He's awake and panicking really badly."

There were soft words spoken and Johnny saw the dark-haired man move closer, "Hey, kid, you need to calm down, all right?" he asked in a concerned voice. "We can't give you more anesthesia because of your injuries, but we'll give you something that might help you feel better. Are you in a lot of pain?"

Johnny blinked and the dark-haired man nodded, "Okay, we'll take care of that," he replied in a gentle, reassuring voice. "I just want you to just relax, though, okay? It'll make this a lot easier on you."

Pain suddenly shot through Johnny's abdomen and he felt himself getting woozy as the dark-haired man kept shouting orders to the others. Hands were touching his frail body as he slowly lost consciousness.

* * *

_**Presidential Mansion** _

"Captain McCoy, may I have a word?" Arianne heard a toneless voice ask. "Or are you busy?"

Arianne looked up from the book she was reading with Charlie and Kathryn and saw President Pike standing there looking calm, "Ambassador Sarek has requested his return to New Vulcan delayed in light of this John Doe incident," President Pike explained calmly. "I would actually like to ask a favor of you since you were a certified counselor long before you became a Captain. If it's too much trouble…"

"It's no trouble, sir," Arianne replied calmly, sighing as Charlie stopped reading and looked at her.

Charlie sighed softly, "Mom, can I go for a walk in the garden?" he asked in a somber voice.

"Sure, honey," Arianne replied, smiling as Charlie stood up. "Why don't you take Porthos with you?"

Nodding, Charlie left the room and Kathryn snuggled close to Arianne, but kept reading quietly, "I was hoping you'd visit Starfleet Medical and talk to our young John Doe once he's out of surgery and cleared for visitors?" President Pike asked gently. "I'm sure it won't be for a few days, yet, so you can be on board the Enterprise when Commander Sonak arrives. I am intrigued as to your selection for a First Officer, as I would have thought you would have selected someone from the many applicants."

"I need a reminder of Spock there," Arianne replied calmly. "Spock is very much like my brother and I need that logic and calmness there when I can't seem to find it. Admiral Kirk agreed with me."

President Pike nodded, "I do have to say that Doctor Sonak is very grateful that you offered him a chance to serve as a Starfleet Commander," he replied calmly. "Have you thought about who the other members of your senior staff will be? I understand that quite a few people have expressed interest."

"I want Doctor Sonak to know that I hold no anger against him for the way he helped Doctor Phlox saved Zachary's life and I feel that this is the best way to do it," Arianne replied calmly. "Scotty has requested to be Chief Engineer as long as Keenser can come with him, Pavel wants to work Security on the Bridge under Giotto, I still need a Navigator, Sulu wants to be Chief Helmsman, and my Science Officer…"

Arianne sighed, "Maybe I'll ask Doctor Sonak to do that as well since the Sickbay will be fully staffed with Leonard, Doctor M'Benga, and several nurses and med-students," she commented softly. "I've also got a boatload of cadets coming aboard as part of the practical parts of their Academy training."

Before President Pike, who was pleased with how much work Arianne was putting into both being there for her family and for her new ship, could reply, Michael came into the room looking worried, "Mama and I were walking around the garden taking care of the plants and we saw Charlie and Porthos walking around," he reported softly. "He was crying, but I knew if I went near him, he'd run away, so I didn't."

"Ah," Arianne replied softly, her eyes filled with compassion. "He doesn't cry in front of anyone."

Michael swallowed hard and President Pike's eyes narrowed, "Uh, Charlie saw me watching him and he tied up the dog and ran off out of the yard," Michael said in a nervous voice. "Mama called him, but…"

Arianne sighed heavily and got up off the couch, "I'll start calling people around campus and tell them to be on the lookout for Charlie," she said in a tired voice. "He hasn't gone far before and he won't now."

* * *

**_Starfleet Security_ **

"I don't understand why I'm here if there's nothing telling us who this child is or where he came from," Nyota commented as she pulled on a pair of gloves and reached for the chains on the table.

Giotto sighed and silently ran his gloved hands across the clothes and cloak, "This material was made for very bleak conditions from what I know of it," he stated in a concerned voice. "In one of my courses, we briefly studied alien gulags and prisoners were given attire so they could survive any kind of conditions, but those were treated like privileges; if a prisoner misbehaved, they were often sent to die."

"Zat is wery brutal," Pavel commented softly, not wanting to comment that he had lived in similar barbaric circumstances before Captain Pike had rescued him. "How does anyone survive zat?"

Hendorff gave Pavel a look, "Sheer willpower," he replied calmly. "From what I saw, that kid looks to be the same age as Charlie and Zachary McCoy and not every 12 year old can survive such a terrible…"

"I heard the mission to New Vulcan was postponed," Nyota said in an anxious voice as she hurried into the evidence analysis room and saw Pavel, Giotto, Hendorff, a Vulcan scientist, and several other Security officers working away at analysing the evidence. "I was just going to ask the new Captain about that because I had wanted to express my interest in being Chief of Communications since my family…"

Pavel sighed, frowning as he received a message on the PADD he kept out at most times in case an emergency came up, "Keptin MeeCoy eez busy trying to find Charlie," he replied in a concerned voice as he looked up at Nyota. "Charlie vas upset zees morning and ran away vhen Michael saw him crying."

"Ah, I need to visit with Captain McCoy and she needs to give me a tour around the Enterprise," Doctor Sonak spoke up in a toneless voice, quickly discarding his gloves. "She appointed me First Officer of the Enterprise and I would be considered very rude to not express my gratitude and get to work."

Nyota looked surprised, "Arianne was appointed Captain of the Enterprise?" she asked softly. "Wow."

"Eet has been a hard sree years for her vith both Spock and Zachary meeseeng," Pavel commented in a compassionate voice. "Seence Joanna, Charlie, and Kathee are all growing up, she zot it vould be a good thing for her to try and it vould be a vay for her to keep her family togezzer since zey could serve zere."

Nyota nodded and smiled, "I think I'll call her and see if I can help find Charlie," she replied softly, knowing how hard it had been for the boy to accept the loss of Zachary. "Maybe we can talk later."

Pavel smiled, "By the way, I heard about the John Doe at Starfleet Medical," Nyota continued, her gaze travelling to the clothes and chains on the table. "Is that what he was found in?"

"Ze boy showed up on ze transporter and Meester Scott has barricaded heemself and Keenser in ze Engineering offices to try and figure out how and vhy," Pavel explained patiently. "And ve are here."

Nyota nodded, "Ambassador Sarek is spending time with his grandchildren today, so maybe I'll go over to the Presidential mansion to see if I can help somehow," she commented as she left the room.

"Look at this metal, Giotto," Hendorff suddenly spoke up anxiously. "There are symbols on it."

Both Giotto and Pavel quickly turned their attention to the chains, which featured aggressive looking symbols on the shackles, "Chekov, look through the database for those symbols," Giotto ordered.

* * *

Starfleet Medical

It was nearly late afternoon by the time Leonard finished the surgeries on the John Doe and he found himself sitting in the foyer, silently relaxing with a cup of hot chocolate to soothe his nerves. Just as he was going to go to his office and lie down, however, Charlie silently came in through the front doors.

"Papa, hi," Charlie spoke nervously, quickly wiping his face with his sleeve. "I…I was just trying to…"

Quickly recognizing that Charlie had caught someone watching him cry and had run off in embarrassment, Leonard sighed patiently, stood up, and walked over to his eldest son with an arm extended to give a side-hug, "You know you just can't run off when someone catches you crying, Charlie," Leonard said in a calm, but firm voice. "I understand things get hard for you sometimes, but when they do, don't be afraid to talk to someone about it. Anyway, I can take you home in a few minutes after I check on a patient that just came out of surgery and is recovering in Peds ICU."

"Can I come, Papa?" Charlie asked curiously, his sadness fading. "Maybe I can help somehow."

Even though Leonard seriously doubted Charlie could be of help to a semi-critical youth who was just in the process of recovering from surgery, he nodded and the walk up to the Pediatrics section of the large hospital was quiet. The moment that they entered the hospital room, Charlie froze and studied Johnny carefully while Leonard went over to the bed and silently studied the bio-monitor. Johnny was unconscious with one leg in a cast underneath some clean hospital pajamas while his head, hands, abdomen, and chest were bandaged and several drip-boxes, tubes, and wires surrounded his body.

"What happened to him, Papa?" Charlie asked softly, inching to the end of the bed. "He looks bad."

Leonard sighed heavily, "He transported here, Charlie, but nobody knows from where or why," he explained in a patient voice. "We don't know who he is, so Starfleet's named him John Doe for now."

For a moment, Charlie was silent and got his personal PADD out, ignoring the trembling in his hands as he accessed the many photos he kept there until he could afford holo-frames, "Papa, I went to school with him," he said in an anxious voice, feeling sick inside as he recognized the battered pre-teen as a friend who had helped him in his early schooling. "He's Johnny Harriman and his dad was a Captain."

"Are you sure?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice, turning to face Charlie. "How do you know?"

Charlie silently held out his personal PADD for Leonard to see, "Class pictures," he replied softly.

Leonard silently took the PADD Charlie held out and studied it, "Papa, why has Johnny got so many bandages and a tube down his throat?" he asked in a worried voice. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know, but I need to call Starfleet Command and share what you just told me," Leonard replied as he got his private PADD out of his pocket and typed a message. "You actually helped quite a bit."

* * *

**_Starfleet Security_ **

Having just got Leonard's message on his way to check the progress of the investigation, President Pike sighed and pocketed his PADD as he entered the evidence room. Pavel and Nyota were busy at the computer while Giotto and Hendorff were studying the chains and Dr. Sonak was studying the clothes.

The entire room went silent and President Pike was about to speak when Jim hurried into the room, "Sorry, it was hard to get a bus back from downtown," Jim said anxiously. "I got your message, sir."

President Pike nodded and sighed, "Well, firstly, Charlie is safe with Doctor McCoy at Starfleet Medical and Captain McCoy is on her way there now," he stated calmly. "Secondly, thanks to Charlie McCoy, we have a positive identification on the John Doe that was admitted to Starfleet Medical this morning."

Jim, Nyota, Giotto, Pavel, Hendorff, Dr. Sonak, and the others all looked at President Pike with expressions of astonishment, "The boy's name is Johnny Harriman and he is the son of John Harriman, Captain of the U.S.S. Tranquility and Lara Harriman, Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Tranquility," President Pike explained in a somber voice. "His condition is currently stable, but very serious."

"Vat happened to ze Tranqeeleety?" Pavel asked in a worried voice. "How did Johnny end up here?"

Jim sighed, "That's what we have to find out," he spoke up, knowing he needed to tell Arianne about the Tranquility and about the Harriman family soon. "All of our answers lie in young Mister Harriman now."

* * *

_**Please read and review!** _


	2. Escape and Slow Escalation

**_Four Days Later_ **

**_U.S.S. Enterprise – Bridge_ **

Even though the ship was only in Spacedock, Arianne found the quiet of the Bridge and sitting in the Captain's chair with paperwork very comforting. It had been four days since Johnny had been identified and four days since Jim had told her about who he was and who his parents were; her good friends.

While Jo, Charlie, and Kathy were in school and Leonard was at work, Arianne had spent most of that time aboard the Enterprise inspecting things, finishing important paperwork, and remembering how much she had helped the Harriman family come back together back when Lara was mentally ill because Commander Harriman had come to her, trusting in her compassion and abilities to help his wife.

Not long after Arianne had reunited the Harriman family, they had gone off into space on the U.S.S. Tranquility and they had had a son around the same time Charlie, Kathy, and Zachary had all come into the world. Johnny had been a good friend to Charlie, Kathryn, and Zachary in the short time that they had gone to school together and from Arianne's point of view, Lara had blossomed wonderfully.

Now, with Johnny recovering at Starfleet Medical having been found in rags and chains meant for prisoners, Arianne felt chilled about what could have happened to him, his parents, and the other crew of the U.S.S. Tranquility. As she sat there, trying to focus on her work, the turbolift doors opened.

"So this is where you've been hiding," Jim commented calmly as he came down the ramp.

Arianne nodded and sighed, "I counseled Captain Harriman's wife when I was in the Academy, Jim," she replied in an anxious voice, gazing up at Jim with a distressed expression on her face. "I'm just stunned."

"Bones says that Johnny's cleared for visitors," Jim stated calmly. "Pike wants to start the counseling."

Arianne nodded and put her work back in her bag before standing up, "How did you get up here, anyway?" she asked in a concerned voice. "I brought a shuttle up since the transporters are iffy and Scotty says that he wants to come up here and work on them now that Johnny was identified."

"The transporters seemed fine," Jim replied casually. "Maybe Scotty's just paranoid."

As Jim and Arianne reached the floor where the shuttle bay and Transporter Room was located, they heard soft humming in the Transporter Room. Upon entering, they saw a calm looking Yeoman Rand standing at the console, silently looking over a list of instructions while operating the console.

"Captain McCoy, Admiral Kirk, how are you?" Yeoman Rand asked calmly. "Commander Scott asked me to come up and run some tests on the transporter to find out exactly what was wrong with it. Since I'm working in Operations and Communications now, I thought I'd come up and help him how I can."

Jim nodded and frowned as the transporter suddenly came on and exploded as Willard Decker and Doctor Sonak materialized on the pad, causing both men to collapse to the floor unconscious. Admiral Kirk swore and hurried over to check the two men as Yeoman Rand turned around in horror and Arianne reached for her communicator, deeply shocked and horrified that such an accident had happened.

* * *

"…If you're feeling up to visitors today, Johnny, a counselor might come by and talk to you…"

Leonard froze as he looked up from his chart and saw that the bed was empty and that the fresher was also empty, so he silently left the room and made his way down the corridor. Just as Leonard passed the common area/playroom, he saw Johnny sitting in a chair near the window with his casted leg on an ottoman and his hand on a pole filled with dripboxes. He had a confused expression on his pale face.

Swallowing hard, Leonard silently entered the room and Johnny looked at him, "Doctor McCoy, right?" Johnny asked in a faint voice, studying Leonard nervously. "I think you're my doctor…aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Leonard replied calmly, sitting so Johnny wouldn't feel so intimidated. "How are you?"

Johnny blinked, "I'm not in trouble for leaving my room?" he asked in a worried voice.

Before Leonard, who was appalled at such a question, could reply, Pavel came into the playroom and Johnny immediately tensed up and looked at the floor, "Pavel, what are you doing here?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice, smiling at the young Lieutenant. "Arianne was supposed to come and…"

"Zere vas an accident on ze Enterprise and she has to go veeth Admeeral Kirk to geeve statements," Pavel replied calmly. "She asked me to come and veeseet young Meester Harriman today."

Leonard frowned, "An accident?" he replied in a concerned voice. "What exactly happened?"

"Ze transporters exploded and knocked Doctor Sonak and Meester Decker unconscious," Pavel replied.

Leonard sighed heavily and frowned, suddenly noticing that Johnny was slowly crawling across the floor, dragging his casted leg behind him, "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice.

"Red means Security and Security means trouble," Johnny replied in a faint voice, his body trembling.

Leonard frowned and quickly knelt down, gently helping Johnny into a chair as he straightened up, "You are not in any trouble," he replied calmly. "Pavel Chekov is my oldest daughter's boyfriend and just happens to be a Security officer on the Enterprise. Pavel, this young lad is Johnny Harriman."

"I knew your mozzer vhen I vas a cadet," Pavel commented gently. "She vas wery kind to me."

Johnny swallowed hard and suddenly started to cry hard enough that he promptly got sick on the floor, "I-I'm sorry," he spoke in a trembling voice, surprised when Leonard silently opened his med-kit, took out a clean cloth, and gently cleaned his face. "Doctor McCoy, Pavel, where exactly am I anyway?"

"You are at Starfleet Medical," Pavel replied in a confused voice. "Eet eez Starfleet's hospeetal."

Johnny tilted his head, "What planet am I on, though?" he asked softly. "I know this is a hospital."

"You're in San Francisco, California," Leonard replied calmly. "Johnny, you're on the planet Earth."

For a moment, Johnny was silent as he processed that and without any warning, he fainted.

* * *

**_Starfleet Security_ **

"I had no idea the transporters were not working," Willard Decker stated in an annoyed voice, glaring up at Giotto and Jim from across the table. "I wanted to talk to Captain McCoy about signing on with the crew and Doctor Sonak wanted to come along since he's supposedly the Enterprise's new First Officer."

Jim scowled, "And you didn't think to contact the Enterprise before you went there?" he asked sharply.

"I knew Captain McCoy would be there preparing things, so I thought it would be no trouble in just going up from the transporters," Willard replied hotly, giving Arianne a sharp look as she comforted Yeoman Rand, who was clearly distraught about the accident. "Nobody told me to not use the transporter."

Again, Jim scowled, "Proper procedure is to notify the Enterprise before you initiate transport just in case something isn't right," he snapped. "Because you didn't follow procedure, Doctor Sonak is now in the hospital and Captain McCoy is comforting Lieutenant Rand. Are you at all ashamed of your actions?"

"Admiral, I think the best way Commander Decker can be of help now since he was responsible for incapacitating Doctor Sonak is to serve as the Enterprise's Science Officer for the time being," Arianne spoke up in a weary voice. "Doctor Sonak might need to go to New Vulcan for further treatment."

Willard looked surprised, but said nothing, "I'm not appointing a First Officer as of yet and I've still got to approve crew transfers," Arianne said in an impatient voice. "You wanted to be on the Enterprise, Mister Decker? You've got what you wanted and I hope you're very satisfied about serving under me."

"I actually applied to be Captain," Willard replied in a crusty voice. "I've got quite a few qualifications."

Arianne sighed and stood up, "I'm not in the mood to listen to this, Mister Decker," she replied in a commanding voice. "Lieutenant Rand, please go to Commander Scott with information about this."

"Yes, Captain," Lieutenant Rand replied softly, composing herself as she slowly stood up.

Arianne nodded and sighed, "I've got to go to Starfleet Medical now," she spoke in a calmer voice.

"Well, I think this meeting is over," Jim said in a tired voice. "Everyone is dismissed."

The room emptied until Jim and Arianne were alone, "You're a little on edge today, Captain McCoy," Jim observed gently, giving her a worried look. "I thought you were going to smack Decker for his attitude."

"Jim, I'm just feeling very uneasy today," Arianne replied softly. "I don't know exactly why."

Jim nodded and gave Arianne a gentle hug, knowing that this time of year was hard for her.

* * *

_**Pike Educational Centre** _

The gym was full of activity and children of various ages doing various recreational activities, as it was the centre's daily group activity time. All of the equipment and supplies had been pulled out by the teachers and it was being used for both quiet and noisy activity. Joachim, Charlie, Kathy, George, and Michael were all sitting playing a board game since none of them felt like doing anything noisy. On the other hand, Amanda, Saavik, and Valeris were playing a game of hopscotch in a corner of the room.

As Joachim picked up the dice and rolled, he suddenly heard a faint gasp and he felt someone suddenly slam into his mind. _Hello, Joachim, my son_ the voice said. _I have finally managed to contact you._

Not knowing why he was hearing a voice in his mind or who was trying to talk to him, Joachim threw the dice and moved his piece accordingly. _You were stolen from me and I have managed to learn how to talk to you in a way that you cannot escape, my son. I will eventually find you and want to learn about you._

Feeling a migraine coming on, Joachim silently placed a hand on his forehead and silently laid his head on the table, "Joachim, are you okay?" Charlie asked in a worried voice. "Mrs. Pike, Joachim's sick!"

There were footsteps and Joachim found himself surrounded by Charlie, Kathy, Kathryn, George, and Michael, "What's wrong, Joachim?" Kathryn asked in a concerned voice. "How are you sick?"

"My head hurts and I feel sick, Mrs. Pike," Joachim spoke in a low voice. "I don't know why."

Kathryn nodded and helped Joachim to his feet, "You can lie down in the infirmary for a while," she said in a compassionate voice, frowning as Joachim sank a little. "Charlie, will you please help me?"

Joachim trembled and barely managed to make it to the infirmary, "Doctor Kirk's on his lunch break, but I can page him," Kathryn said gently as Charlie helped Joachim lie down on a bed. "Just get some rest."

"Are you gonna call Joachim's mom?" Charlie asked softly. "She's at home with his little sister, Bella."

Kathryn nodded, "Charlie, will you stay with Joachim while I do that?" she asked in a gentle voice.

"Okay, Grandma," Charlie replied, sighing as Kathryn silently left the quiet infirmary.

* * *

_**Romulan Warbird Dominance – In Orbit of Rura Penthe** _

Overwhelmed by the fact that he had finally mastered the art of telepathy enough to contact Joachim, Khan strode on to the Bridge and saw that Jeris was quietly reading to David in the command chair while Captain Jatal and his officers worked around them, "I reached Joachim," Khan said enthusiastically.

"Did you?" Jeris asked in an enthusiastic voice. "Is there anything you wanted from this mission?"

Khan sighed, "Spock had something to do with Joachim being far away and kept me from finding him because he marooned me on Ceti Alpha Five," he hissed in an angry voice. "If Spock hasn't died by now, I want the pleasure of torturing him and making Zachary watch to understand his abilities better."

One of the officers suddenly looked up from their screen, "Captain Jatal, Rura Penthe reports that there has been one escape since our last visit," he reported anxiously. "A boy named Johnny Harriman."

Jeris looked amused, but Khan looked angry, "Spock had something to do with this," he hissed.

"Are you wanting to go down and speak to Spock, Professor Khan?" Jeris asked calmly, giving David a look to not speak and risk Khan's anger. "I'm sure he has been punished very harshly."

Khan's eyes narrowed, "I want to kill Spock and make that brat who has my blood watch so he understands what happens to little boys who befriend fools," he hissed angrily. "I am going there."

"David, remain on the ship," Jeris instructed as he stood up. "Attention Bridge crew, I am accompanying Professor Khan to the surface and NO ONE is to bother David on pain of death. Am I understood?"

Murmurs of agreement filled the Bridge as Jeris followed Khan towards the Transporter Room.

* * *

**_Rura Penthe_ **

"If you EVER assist in the escape of a prisoner again, Vulcan, you will die faster than you can blink," the Klingon guard hissed, giving Spock's leg a final kick before he moved away from the piece of floor where Spock lay battered, bruised, and bleeding as a result of his helping Johnny Harriman escape the gulag.

Zachary glanced at Carol, "Is Uncle Spock going to die?" he asked in a worried voice. "I'm scared."

"Commander, I'm sorry," Carol spoke softly as she approached Spock. "I was only curious about where you sent Johnny Harriman and if it could be used to send others to safety. I didn't think it would lead to the guards finding out about Johnny and punishing you for it. What happened to Captain Harriman?"

Spock inhaled sharply as he fought to stay conscious, "I acted alone," he replied tonelessly. "Captain Harriman was only burying a son he thought was dead. I am the one who incapacitated the boy."

Before Carol or Zachary could reply, Khan and Jeris materialized in the middle of the prison and Zachary cowered at the sight of Khan, "What do you want, Khan?!" he snapped, glaring at the Augument.

"Testy, are we?" Khan asked in an icy voice, glaring at Zachary. "You should show proper respect."

Zachary growled and quickly managed to grab Jeris's weapon from his belt, which he pointed at Khan, "Respect has to be earned and not demanded from a fool who leaves me in a Klingon hole for three years after treating me like a lab experiment!" he shouted, quickly attracting attention from guards.

Jeris looked shocked at the fact that Zachary had taken his weapon so easily, but he didn't want to start a brawl and risk injury to himself, "Foolish child," Khan hissed darkly as he kicked Spock several times.

Spock hissed in pain and Zachary swiftly shot Khan, sending the Augument to the floor and causing shouting to break out. Without waiting for anyone to stop him, Zachary grabbed Spock and, forcing the injured Vulcan to his feet, he took off down one of the hallways that was away from the mines.

"See to Khan!" Jeris barked angrily as Carol pushed her way through the crowd to follow them.

In the midst of the chaos, Jeris silently followed after the trio and caught up to them just as Carol was helping Zachary get Spock into an old, very weathered shuttle, "Ah, my dear Doctor Marcus, where do you think you are going?" he asked, taking her arm. "Assisting a prisoner in escaping? Tsk tsk."

"What are you going to do about it?!" Zachary shouted as he came out of the battered shuttle and pointed the weapon at Jeris. "You're the man who kidnapped my mom and Uncle Jim, aren't you?"

Jeris looked impressed, "Why, I'm very impressed with how intelligent and brave that Khan's blood has made you, Zachary," he replied in a calm voice. "Khan wanted to test you by putting you in the worst situation possible and you've done extraordinary well, but to try and escape with that Vulcan…"

Suddenly, several Klingon guards came rushing in and Zachary ducked out of sight, "Jeris, we heard there was a problem," one of the Klingons said, glaring at Jeris, who was holding Carol close.

"Oh, Doctor Marcus was just snooping around, seeing what needed to be repaired," Jeris lied in a menacing voice as he tossed her to them. "Get her and Khan on board the Dominance at once!"

As the guards walked off with Carol, Jeris silently boarded the shuttle and saw Spock laying helplessly on a cot in the back while Zachary hid just inside the door, "Your hands are bleeding, boy," he said in a commanding voice. "I did not say anything about you and Spock trying to escape, but if you choose to leave Rura Penthe, you two are on your own. If you choose the danger, you don't know what will…"

"Anywhere's better than here," Zachary snapped. "Khan didn't care about me; he only wanted to use me as an animal and see what his blood did to me! I'd rather die than stay here another moment."

Jeris examined Zachary's left wrist and hand, both of which were bloodstained, scarred, and appeared to be broken along with other bones in his body, "If you are captured by someone else, I will deny that I saw you at all," he said in a commanding voice as he left the shuttle. "It is your choice, Zachary."

Once Zachary was sure Jeris was gone, he silently pulled the door shut and quickly buckled Spock to the bed he was resting on, "Your actions are illogical," Spock spoke faintly. "You do not know how to fly…"

"Then tell me!" Zachary snapped anxiously as he sat in the pilot's chair. "We've got to get out of here!"

Fighting the urge to pass out, Spock weakly gave instructions and with fear pulsing through him, Zachary powered up the shuttle and trembled anxiously as the weathered shuttle rose into the air several feet.

Alarms sounded as Zachary nervously maneuvered the shuttle through the common area, killing several alien prisoners and Klingon guards as they either attempted to dodge the shuttle or fire at it with patrol weapons. On the ground, Jeris silently smiled as he found himself being beamed back to his ship.

* * *

**_Romulan Warbird Dominance_ **

"Zachary was foolish to cross me," Khan hissed, grimacing as he limped down the corridor alongside Jeris, who looked very upset. "I cannot believe those stupid Klingons let them escape!"

Jeris sighed and offered Khan a sympathetic smile, "Captain Jatal has authorized you to take a shuttle to look for your son since you want to know Joachim so badly," he explained smoothly. "You will not be disturbed by anyone who is patrolling in Romulan and Klingon space. The shuttle has a cloak on it so that you can travel in peace once you leave safe space. Every father should be able to get to know their son."

"What about my people?" Khan asked in a concerned voice. "I just cannot abandon them for Joachim."

Jeris's eyes narrowed, "Your people will be safe, Khan," he replied calmly. "They have their own colony near the capital city and they are quite happy there. They all know of your desire to meet your son."

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical – San Francisco, Earth** _

When Arianne arrived at the room where Johnny Harriman was recovering, she was surprised to see Pavel sitting outside the room while Leonard silently straightened up around the bed where Johnny slept soundly, "Pavel, what happened?" she asked in a concerned voice. "I thought Johnny was…?"

"I do not know," Pavel replied calmly. "Johnneee fainted after he found out he vas on Earth."

Frowning, Arianne silently entered the room and was surprised when Johnny woke up, "What happened?" he asked in a groggy voice, suddenly noticing Arianne. "Are you Arianne McCoy?"

"Yes, Johnny, I am," Arianne replied calmly as she neared the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Johnny sighed tiredly. "I was fine until that Chekov guy mentioned my mom and Doctor McCoy said that I was on Earth," he replied groggily. "My mom was killed three years ago and it still hurts a lot."

"Your mother was killed?" Arianne asked in a surprised voice, her eyes widening in shock and horror.

Johnny nodded and sighed, "A cloaked vessel damaged our ship and my mom was killed in the damage," he replied softly. "My dad tried hard to help me escape in a pod, but we were caught and taken."

Just then, Pavel entered and smiled at Johnny, "We were taken to some Klingon prison planet," Johnny spoke softly as he looked at his blanket. "My dad tried to keep me out of trouble, but I got beat on a lot for my small size until one day, some Vulcan got the Klingons to back off and ended up getting beaten."

"Some Vulcan?" Arianne asked in a gentle voice, seeing that Johnny was getting tired and stressed about talking about the conditions of the prison. "Johnny, I'm honestly sorry to hear about your mother."

Johnny nodded and sighed sleepily, "Thank you, Commander McCoy," he replied in a tired voice.

"You may call me Arianne," Arianne replied gently. "And, actually, it's Captain McCoy now."

Johnny nodded and yawned, "Perhaps, Johnny, it's best if you got some sleep now," Leonard spoke softly, smiling at Johnny. "Arianne and Pavel can come back another time and visit with you, okay?"

"Before you go, do you know a Nyota?" Johnny asked softly as he made himself comfortable. "I heard the Vulcan guy telling my dad about how much he missed and loved a Nyota and their children."

Arianne nodded and as she turned to leave, she made a mental note to talk to Nyota privately, but as she left the room, her PADD beeped. Upon answering it, Arianne found a message from President Pike stating that the Enterprise was ordered to depart for New Vulcan with passengers in three days.

* * *

**_Pike Educational Center_ **

"Thank you for calling me, Mrs. Pike," Marla said in a concerned voice as she followed Kathryn into the infirmary and saw Dr. Kirk sitting beside Joachim's bedside, silently checking vitals while Joachim slept.

Kathryn nodded and looked at Sam, "Doctor Kirk, how is Joachim?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Well, he had a pretty bad migraine," Sam explained calmly. "I think he'll be okay with some rest."

Marla nodded and approached the bed, "Joachim, it's Mom," she said in a soft voice as she sat on the edge of the bed, smiling gently as Joachim slowly woke up. "Mrs. Pike said you aren't feeling well."

"I felt really sick and got a headache during activity time," Joachim replied softly. "I'm really tired."

Marla gently hugged Joachim, "I left Isabella in the office since your father's working," she replied gently, carefully mussing his hair. "We'll go home and you can rest for a bit until dinner time."

Joachim nodded and slowly got off the bed, too tired to say anything, "Do I have to go to Starfleet Medical cause of this?" he asked nervously. "I've never liked doctors and I don't want to trouble…"

"I don't think a visit to Starfleet Medical is necessary," Sam replied calmly. "Just take it easy."

Before Marla could offer thanks, her PADD beeped and she quickly pulled it out of her pocket, frowning as she read the message, "Captain McCoy needs to meet with all Enterprise crew as soon as possible," she said in a concerned voice. "Joachim, honey, would you mind if I took you and Isabella with me?"

"No," Joachim replied softly. "I can watch Isabella so you can listen to Captain McCoy talk."

Marla smiled and put an arm around Joachim as she led her eldest out of the infirmary and Kathryn followed, determined to be of help. Sam waited until he was alone and silently returned to the computer where he had pulled up Joachim's medical file, relieved that it hadn't been worse.

Sam knew he was both in a fortunate and precarious position, as he was one of the very few who knew who Joachim's father was and how much Khan might want to get to know his flesh and blood one day.

* * *

**_Starfleet Headquarters - Auditorium_ **

In no time at all, Arianne found herself standing on a small stage facing every single Enterprise crew member and nearly a hundred cadets who were all nearing the practical parts of their courses. Jim, Leonard, Willard Decker, Nyota, Scotty, Hikaru, and the other members of for the senior staff stood behind Arianne and most were happy to be there. President Pike sat in the back watching.

"Firstly, my name is Captain McCoy and I will be in command of the Enterprise when she leaves Spacedock in three days to carry out her first mission," Arianne stated calmly. "Our mission is to deliver Ambassador Sarek and Doctor Sonak to New Vulcan, as Ambassador Sarek is to provide a report to the Vulcan High Command and Doctor Sonak is to undergo additional therapy for injuries he received during a transporter accident on board the Enterprise. Fortunately, the transporters are working fine now."

Swallowing hard, Arianne cleared her throat, "I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome all of you to the crew newly rebuilt Enterprise and also bring attention to the fact that several classes of cadets will be joining us for the practical parts of their courses," she said calmly. "I would also like to announce that Admiral Kirk will be joining us onboard to inspect the Enterprise during the duration of this mission toe New Vulcan, as it is mandatory for all new vessels to be inspected during her maiden flight. Now, if there are no questions, the meeting is dismissed and I'll see you all on board the Enterprise in three days."

Noise filled the auditorium and Arianne quickly turned, "Lieutenant Uhura, Admiral Kirk, may I have a word with both of you in private?" she asked softly. "It's about something Johnny Harriman said."

Jim and Nyota exchanged a look, but before they could reply, President Pike came up on the stage with a smile on his face, "Well done, Captain McCoy," he said in a calm voice. "Are you excited?"

"During my visit to Johnny Harriman at Starfleet Medical, he informed me of the presence of a Vulcan on the Klingon prison planet where he and his father were," Arianne spoke in a soft voice. "I thought you should know that I plan to visit young Mister Harriman as a counselor over the next several days."

Nyota's eyes widened slightly, "A Vulcan?" she asked in a shocked voice. "Did he say what Vulcan?"

"No," Arianne replied softly. "He didn't say anything about the Klingon prison planet either."

President Pike sighed, "Captain McCoy has things well in hand, I'm sure," he said in a gentle voice.

"I also have to regretfully inform you, President Pike, that Doctor Lara Harriman, Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Tranquility, is dead as of three years ago," Arianne spoke in a somber voice. "Johnny mentioned it during our brief visit and I'm hoping that people will reach out to him with kindness."

President Pike frowned and nodded, "As of this moment, Johnny Harriman is a guest of Starfleet and is to be treated as such," he replied in a firm voice. "I also happened to notice that Lieutenant Chekov wasn't here today and I can't help but think he's keeping young Mister Harriman company?"

"Yes, sir," Arianne replied softly. "I was thinking of taking Charlie and Kathy with me there later…"

Jim cleared his throat, "Joanna might also be good to take since she kinda gets traumatic situations and she was only a couple years older than Johnny when we met her," he spoke up in a nervous voice.

"I'll ask Joanna, but she's got a lot on her plate," Arianne replied calmly. "She's working very hard."

Jim nodded and noticed that President Pike had moved off the stage and was on his phone, pointedly ignoring all the noise everyone was making as the auditorium cleared out, "Well, school's going to get out pretty soon and Leonard works until dinnertime, so I'd better get going to the school," Arianne said in a tired voice. "I'll see Joanna after she's done classes, so we'll talk about everything then."

Jim smiled as Arianne walked off, but his smile faded as he wondered if Spock was still alive and how much trouble he would be in if he had been responsible for helping Johnny Harriman escape.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical** _

"You cannot geet out of bed!" Pavel yelled anxiously. "Doctor MeeCoy vill not be happy!"

Pointedly ignoring Pavel's protests, Johnny slowly moved himself from the bed to a chair that was close to the balcony with help from his IV pole, elevating his leg on the small footrest as he settled in, "The bed's not comfortable," he replied softly. "I haven't slept in a comfortable bed in three years."

"Vat kind of beds do zey hawe at ze preeson?" Pavel asked softly. "I cannot imagine zey are soft."

Before Johnny could reply, the door slid open and Scotty came in followed by Keenser, "Lad, I have tae ask ye something," he said in an anxious voice. "I'm Montgomery Scott, by the way."

"Sure," Johnny replied softly, suddenly feeling nervous. "I've heard your name, I think."

Scotty frowned, "Someone mentioned me name?" he asked in a confused voice. "Who did?"

"A Vulcan," Johnny replied softly. "I could tell he was Vulcan because his ears were pointed and he talked with my dad a lot about how children couldn't survive in that place. There was another boy there, but he was allowed to stay out of the mines and fix stuff for the guards because he was special. We were kids, though, so we got beat a lot by the guards anyway as an example to the adults of how to behave."

Pavel looked alarmed, as did Scotty, but they were interrupted by the arrival of President Pike and a concerned looking Leonard, "Hello there, Mister Harriman," President Pike spoke in a calm voice.

"Just so you know, Johnny, every time a patient gets out of bed unsupervised, a silent proximity alarm goes off and notifies their physician," Leonard commented calmly. "I know it's not very fun being in bed all the time, but you really shouldn't be wandering about without supervision because of your injuries."

Johnny shrugged, but made no effort to move from his chair, "Arianne apologizes that she couldn't be here, but she's got children to pick up from school," President Pike explained softly. "She'll probably come by later, but she did tell me about your mother in the meantime and I am very sorry about that."

"Who exactly are you, sir?" Johnny asked softly. "Are you going to help me find if my dad's still alive?"

President Pike calmly extended his hand, "I'm Admiral Christopher Pike, President of the United Federation of Planets," he replied calmly. "Since you are a minor and your mother is dead, I'm the one now responsible for making sure you have a place to go once you are fit for release from here."

"I'll be fine on my own, sir," Johnny replied softly. "I don't remember a lot about Earth, but I can…"

President Pike gave Johnny a look and Johnny fell silent, "Look, Johnny, if you're willing to let yourself be taken care of, I can let you out of here in the morning since this man's also my father-in-law and my family and I live with him, his wife, and their son," Leonard spoke up calmly. "It's free room and board."

Johnny was quiet for several seconds and finally nodded, his gaze travelling to his unmade bed, "Since you're acting like you're tired, I think I'll let you rest and we can talk about this more later," President Pike stated softly, very concerned about how tired and withdrawn the boy seemed. "Doctor McCoy can help you back to bed and I'll leave with Mister Chekov and Mister Scott so you can have some quiet."

Soon enough, the room was quiet and Johnny found himself being tucked back into bed by Leonard, his mind reeling with everything he was experiencing and wondering how he was going to help his father.

* * *

In the safety of one of the Golden Gate apartments, Marla McGivers-Stiles found herself silently reviewing her upcoming mission on the couch while her three year old daughter, Isabella, who had her red hair and blue eyes, played with toys on the floor in front of her. She was excited for another mission and even more excited that her family would be able to join her, as she was very content as she was.

"Mom?" Marla suddenly heard Joachim ask in a quiet voice. "Can I ask you something personal?"

Marla nodded and gazed at Joachim compassionately as he sat down, clad only in a sweatshirt, sleep pants, and socks, "I heard a strange voice in my head before I got sick at school," Joachim explained in an unsteady voice, a frown on his face. "He called me his son and said that he wanted to know me."

Fear filled Marla's eyes, but she quickly composed herself, "Your father is a superhuman named Khan Noonien Singh who was a professor during my time at the Academy," she explained softly. "He became quite enamored with me and attacked me before fleeing. I became pregnant with you by that attack."

"Mom, I'm sorry," Joachim replied softly, his expression sympathetic. "I didn't know he had hurt you."

Marla smiled, "You are the blessing from an event of great pain in my life," she replied softly, embracing Joachim gently. "You are not Khan Noonien Singh; you are my son and I will always love you very much."

As Marla held her son close, she prayed that Khan would never want to seek Joachim out and know him. If Khan ever sought them out, she, John, Joachim, and Isabella would all be in great danger.

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